


Loyalty

by Wolfstar4evr



Series: Supernatural Oneshots [30]
Category: Supernatural
Genre: Angst with a Happy Ending, Arguments, Cas never went to Purgatory, Dean Being an Asshole, Fights, Happy Dean, Happy Sam, Hopeful Sam, Hurt/Comfort, Married Sastiel, Post Season 7 AU, Reunions, Sam and Cas got married instead, Sastiel - Freeform, Then relieved/understanding Dean, established sastiel, hopeful Cas, let me know, may be added to, not proof read, season 8 AU
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-08-14
Updated: 2018-08-14
Packaged: 2019-06-27 03:42:11
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,320
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15677325
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Wolfstar4evr/pseuds/Wolfstar4evr
Summary: Season 8 AU, where the blast to Purgatory missed Cas and instead he remained above ground Sam, whom he married.After a year of looking for his missing brother while simultaneously trying to start and live a life with his husband, Sam finally gets the phone call from Dean he's been waiting for. This is their reunion, as usual full of relief, bro hugs, violence and misunderstandings. At least this time Sam has a husband to help him through.





	Loyalty

_Dean’s back._  
  
Sam's never been so happy to hear his brother's voice in his life, except for maybe after he came back from Hell. He takes a moment to breathe once he puts the phone down, having promised Dean to meet him at Rufus's cabin as soon as he can get there.  
  
"Sam?" Cas' bleary voice comes from the top of the stairs, and Sam walks out of the living room to meet him as he comes down the stairs. "What's wrong?"  
  
He still has a bed head and his eyes are barely open as he looks up. Sam is almost overcome with a rush of affection for the ex-angel, but he has more pressing matters for once. "I got a call," He explains softly. "From Dean."  
  
Cas seems to wake immediately at that, his eyes widening to the point it's almost comical. "Dean?" He breathes. "Are you sure?'  
  
Sam nods as steadily as he can, taking Cas' hands in his. "It sounded like him, and everything he said made sense, so if it's not him then whatever's... Whatever's using his face has that down. Obviously I'm gonna take holy water and silver... And borax, if we have any."  
  
"It's under the kitchen sink," Cas answers, squeezing his husband's hands. "But it will be unnecessary. I will be able to sense any non-human the moment I am in range."  
  
Over the past year, especially after he and Cas admitted their feelings for each other, Sam has watched Cas' grace reserves get lower and lower to the point where he is now essentially human; he needs food, water and sleep just like anyone else, but has just enough grace to recognise other angels and creatures for what they truly are. It's come more in handy than either of them would like to admit, as they've shamefully been trying to live a normal life for the past few months, too.  
  
Within minutes, they're both dressed and ready to leave, duffle bags stacked in the hall. "Cas," Sam says, and he can't help the tremor in his voice. "Do you... Do you think we should take the Impala _and_ the truck? We've gotta take the Impala cause she's Dean's, but what if he doesn't want to come back with us? We won't have any way of getting home."  
  
Cas merely gathers Sam into his arms and presses a kiss to his cheek. "He will want to come home with us," Cas reassures him, even as the same doubt rests heavy in his chest. They've long suspected Dean has been in Purgatory for the past year, and there's no telling how twelve months in a land full of monsters has changed him. They tried, up until only two months ago, to get him out, but there didn't seem to be a way to open Purgatory without letting any number of undesirables out along with Dean, and they couldn't risk unleashing the Leviathan back on Earth. Moreover, Sam was slowly killing himself trying to find an answer, and Cas wasn't going to let it go on, so he called the search off. Sam fought with him, of course, it's still the worst fight they've ever had, but it was worth when Sam started to regain the weight and colour that he had lost. But that doesn't matter now, because Dean is home anyway.  
  
They have to drive twenty three hours from their home in Guilford, Connecticut to South Dakota where Dean is. They spend most of it silence, just enjoying each other's presence and the rumble of the Impala underneath them. They rarely use the car, nowadays, preferring instead to use the truck which they bought second hand a few months ago, and isn't layered with painful memories of their lost loved one.  
  
"Do you think that he'll look different?" Cas speculates, towards the end of their drive. They've travelled non-stop, simply swapping seats and sleeping while the other drives so they can be ready to take over.  
  
Sam tightens his grip on the steering wheel. "Maybe," He answers, a contemplative look on his face. Cas immediately feels guilty about the question, because as hard as this has been on him, as much as he has missed Dean, it has been ten times worse on Sam. For a long time Dean was all Sam had, and it's only been the past couple years that Cas and Sam have really become friends, and then eventually more.  
  
When Sam finally pulls up outside the cabin, it looks as empty as the day they left it. Sam takes a deep, shuddering breath, smiling slightly as Cas takes his hand in his. "Do you think we should take our rings off?" Cas suggests, as he knows that Sam has also been worried about how Dean will react to their new relationship, even if he hasn't said anything.  
  
Even though Cas would be perfectly understanding it Sam had said yes, he can't help a rush of selfish relief when Sam shakes his head no, twisting his wedding band around his finger. "I don't want to start this on lies," he says, turning to smile at his angel (grace or not), as weak as it is. "I love you, and I don't want to hide that. If he reacts badly... Then we'll cross that bridge when we come to it."  
  
Cas nods, leaning over to give his husband a kiss. It's short, like most of their kisses are, but Sam at least seems a bit calmer as they pull away. The taller man turns to open the car door. "He's human," Cas says, able to feel Dean's energy from the car with the doors open. He's so attuned to Dean's soul, so similar to Sam's, that it's easy to tell. As they get out of the car Sam seems apprehensive again, glancing over the top of the car to his husband. "I'll stay out here," Cas offers, knowing how important this moment is to Sam. Besides, maybe Dean will be more receptive to their relationship if Sam tells him first, rather than being confronted with the reality of it with both of them together.  
  
Sam nods, and walks towards the cabin, trying to quash the urge to turn and ask Cas to come too. He's become overly dependent on the angel in the past year for his emotional health, and they've barely spent a minute apart. _No,_ he says to himself as he opens the door. _I do not need him to hold my hand_.  
  
But that feeling comes back in full force as the moment the cabin door closes and he's tackled to the ground. “Dean!” He exclaims, covering his face as he’s splashed with what he hopes to God is holy water. Then a knife slashes across his arm, not deep, but enough to sting. “I’m not a demon! Or a shifter, Jesus.” Borax splashes onto his arms next, making the fresh cut sting as if he’s being burnt. “Or a Leviathan.”

Dean finally gets up off him, holding out the tools. “Me next,” He says forcefully. Sam just laughs in disbelief.

“Dean I don’t need to test you,” He says, holding his hands up in a placating gesture. Dean just gives him a frustrated look, before splashing himself with the borax and holy water and nicking his arm with the silver knife.

“Dammit Sammy,” He mutters, before finally looking his brother up and down. “Right. Bring it in.”

Despite Dean’s clinical words, their hug is just as warm and solid as Sam remembers it being. This is what he’s been waiting for, for a year. Through all the times he felt like giving up, through all the missed meals and missed sleep, through his and Cas’ fight, their wedding, their home in Connecticut, Sam has always _always_ missed his brother, has always wanted him there. Even over the past few months, after Cas made him stop looking, there were some restless nights where he did nothing but sit up in their bed reading about Purgatory, switching guiltily to a different page every time Cas so much as shifted.

When they pull away Dean gives him an approving look. “Lookin’ good,” He says with a nod, and Sam smiles back.

“You too,” Sam says, unsure where to start. “I mean, you were in Purgatory this whole time? That’s insane.”

“Yeah, well,” Dean says awkwardly, rubbing the back of his neck. He goes over to one of the old, creaky chairs and sits down, looking up at his little brother how is still standing. “I would’ve have got out earlier, but I was looking for Cas. I’m pretty sure he was sent down there with me, but I just never found out where he was.” As he says it, he rubs two tired hands down his face, almost trembling with the memory of landing in Purgatory, and the fear when he realised Cas wasn’t with him. Surely the angel was brought down too; he was close enough that the blast should have hit him.

Dean is surprised when Sam laughs, even though he can tell that Sam isn’t laughing _at_ him. “What?” He says gruffly.

“Cas is here,” Sam explains, watching his brother’s face flooding with relief. “He got covered in goo when you stabbed Dick, but he didn’t go down with you. We don’t know why; we think it was because he wasn’t actually connected to the weapon. But yeah, he’s fine, a lot better actually. The crazy kinda healed over time, you know? He’s doing great.”

Dean almost begins to laugh hysterically, his relief is so great. He doesn’t even feel angry for all that wasted time looking for him, because it was better to be safe than sorry, no matter how sorry he ended up being. He wants to ask to see Cas right now, but he figures Sam would have brought him if he was available. He’ll just to wait.

“So… What’s new with you?” Dean asks, crossing his arms on top of the table.

Sam takes a deep breath, looking to the door to where Cas is waiting outside, anxious to see Dean as well. “I, um…” Sam starts. He should really tell Dean about him and Cas now, while there are less people to punch. “I got married,” He says finally, twisting his ring around with his thumb. Dean’s eyes immediately flash to his left hand, and Sam feels his heart leap into his throat as his brother’s eyes narrow dangerously.

“So what,” Dean says, his mood turning a hundred and eighty degrees. “You just shacked up with some chick the moment I was dropped in monster heaven?

“What? No!” Sam exclaims, horrified by the accusation. This is _not_ where he saw this conversation going.  
  
"Did you even look for me, Sam?" Dean hisses, and Sam flinches at his brother's harsh tone.  
  
"Yes," Sam breathes desperately. "I did I swear."  
  
"Really? Because it sound to me like you couldn’t _wait_ to get out, not only leaving _me_ high and dry, but Cas and Kevin, too. Remember Cas? The crazy guy who’s had a crush the size of Jupiter since forever? How the _fuck_ can you be so selfish-" Sam’s backed up next to the door, now, Dean having stood up in a rage halfway through his speech and taken more than a couple steps forward. “Sam? Seriously, _seriously_ , what part of _loyalty_ didn’t-“

Dean suddenly finds himself stumbling back as the front door opens, but no one is more surprised than Sam when a fist flies out and Dean finds himself punched in the face. “Sam is married to _me,_ you _fool!_ ” Cas roars, a righteous anger Sam hasn’t seen in a _long_ time gracing his face. “He almost _killed himself_ looking for you, so I _made_ him stop. If anyone’s being selfish here, it’s you, Dean Winchester, for _ruining_ this reunion.”

Sam looks from his husband to his brother, breathing hard from the tension in the air. Cas’ face is still murderous, and Dean is clutching his bleeding nose. Then, to all of their shock, Dean begins to laugh, deep, belly laughs from deep inside. It’s unlikely that Dean has laughed this hard in _ages_ , definitely more than a year. The couple at the door don’t really know what to do, but eventually they reach out and link hands, which only makes Dean seem to laugh harder. Eventually he calms down, sort of. He sits down on the old couch and waves them over, still grinning like a fool. “I’m so relieved,” He finally says, still grinning like an idiot. “God, when you said you were married my heart was in my mouth. I was so worried about Cas, how he would’ve felt. I’m so glad you’re married to each other.” With that he pulls Cas into a hug, reaching out to grip Sam’s arm tightly. “And I’m so sorry, Sammy. It was just that… I know how much you hate this life, really, and I know a lot of the reason you stay in it is for me. But the thought of you looking for me was a lot of what kept me going down there-“

“It’s fine,” Sam says, leaning forward to pull his brother into a hug, crushing his husband between them. “Honestly, I understand. I’m just glad you’re home.” Dean smiles at that, squeezing his brother’s arm once before pulling away. Sam keeps an arm around his husband, watching as Dean snorts at the site of them. He almost pulls away, but Cas seems to know what he’s about to do and keeps a grip on his arm tight, leaning back into him.

“So,” Dean finally says after a moment. “Tell me how the hell this happened. We’ve got a lot to catch up on.”

Yes, they do, and with his husband in his arms and his brother sitting across the couch from him, Sam has never felt better.


End file.
